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ALLAN (FLASH) BOURKE, 44 Colorful Schreiber Resident Dies Schreiber (Special) -- One of Schreiber's most colorful residents, Allen (Flash) Bourk, died in a Thunder Bay hospital Saturday at 44. Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at St. Andrew's United Church in Schreiber. Flash was known by fans from Montreal to Vancouver and until last year, hadn't missed a game in 17 years. .His first game was in 1954 when he was kidnapped by a gang of Edmonton fans on their way to Toronto by train. Flash had boarded the same train in Schreiber, on his way to work at White River as a loco motive fireman. "It was 118 miles from White River to Schreiber and all I had was $6 in my pocket and my working clothes,he, once recalled. "Little did I know I'd end up going 5,000 miles." In no time at all, after leaving Schreiber, he was at a piano in a coach set tup as an old-time bar. Then at White River the fans locked the doors to the coach and a VIP sent a message to the CPR superintendent in Schreiber. "Have kickianped Flash Bourk. Send replacement to White River yard." From there, it was on to Toronto where a group of Edmonton fans rented a tuxedo for Flash and he ended up on a receiving line at a banquet given by the governor-general. Then he and his fellow fans were right there the next day when Montreal Alouettets' Chuck Hunsinger made that famous fumble and Esks' Jackie Parker picked up the loose ball as Edmonton went on to win 26 to 25. "One of the things I enjoy most at Grey Cup games," he recalled, is when people come up to me and ask whether I'm from Calgary or Edmonton. I'm proud to answer 'I'm from Schreiber -- the 'e' before the 'i' -- Schreiber, I love this town so much. I'm proud to publicize it everywhere I go, especially at the Grey Cup." From 1965 on, Flash was a regular and expected attendant at every game. He was easily spotted in each Grey Cup Parade because of his height, his big white Stetson and fringe bucksin jacket. And wherever the game was, Flash was in demand on piano and guitar. Players came frequently during the summer to visit Flash and to see the little town he was so proud of and find an answer as to why he had not accepted any of the interesting offers to become a professional entertainer. No Region Ignored in Throne Speech OTTAWA (CP) -- The Trudeau government, displaying recognition of a delicate parliamentary minority situation, Thursday brought down a fat legislative program with something pledged for every region. The program, clearly geared to gather parliamentary support drew swift positive reaction from the NDP, the balance of power. After reading the speech, the 31-member NDP caucus said it will support the government "at this stage." The frontal assault will be against the country's economic ills, said the government-prepared throne speech which opened the 29th session of Parliament. There will also be a total re-examination of the country's social security system and there are suggestions of greater federal-provincial consultations. Apart from these national thrusts, there are suggestions for new economic development initiatives in the West, an examination of freight rates, which particularly affect the Atlantic region, an effort to make eastern feed grain prices more equitable with those in the West--a long-standing gripe of Ontario and Quebec farmers-- and even proposals for keeping the oceans clean off each coast. ELECTION REACTION Prime Minister Trudeau earlier had said the government would "listen to what the voters told us" in the Oct. 30 general election when his majority shrunk to a minority of 109 seats. The throne speech appears to be reaction to the criticisms of that campaign. There is going to be an overhaul of the department of regional economic expansion-making it more decentralized-- after the DREE grants took a battering from opposition MPs. The much-maligned unemployment insurance plan will be clarified "in certain aspects." There will be a joint parliamentary study into high food prices, more federal action in housing, higher incomes for the aged, tougher skyjacking measures and a fast free Commons. Posh Fare For Prisons Headache to Taxpayers The regular menus for meals served to prisoners in a federal penitentiary in British Columbia were published recently and they read like the classy fare that might be served at a posh hotel during a royal visit. Now the inmates at Collins Bay penitentiary near Kingston have asked for, among other things, the same minimum wages paid to non-convict workers in everyday life, swimming facilities, better cell radios, the right to talk to the press on request . . . The overburdened taxpayers, particularly those who are trying to house and feed a family on the minimum wage, couldn't be blamed for scratching their heads in bewilderment. People with no immediate access to a free swimming pool and who are getting by with last year's radio will wince at what is happening in these places of so-called correction. They thought convicts were sent there for fully-deserved punishment. If that's punishment, then why don't we all get convicted of something? The sorry fact is that those requests aren't funny. Some of them probably will be granted and once again some of the discipline we need so badly in this country will have slipped away. Things are getting so ridiculous that we might as well think in terms of going all the way. The taxpayers likely would be delighted to not only provide wages, swimming pools and other requests, but every accepted amenity of modern living. For example, Canada has some of the finest interior decorators, not to mention excellent materials in theway of carpets, panelling, furnishings and fixtures that could do wonders for the federal cells. And radios? Goodness, haven't the politicians in charge of prisons heard about color television? Of course, gracious living demands a variety of tastefully-appointed social salons. No self-respecting modern prison would be complete without a rooftop dining room (with a small orchestra) , licensed lounge and a cabaret. However, basic necessities such as the above-mentioned can hardly be considered sufficient for well-rounded prison existence. Prisoners, particularly those murderers, sadists and robbers serving long sentences, could stand a few weeks of vacation in Europe or the Caribbean each year, first class, hopefully both ways. In all sincerity, this question deserves the highest priority and swift action by a very kindly government If something isn't done soon to drastically improve conditions, such as replacing hardbitten male guards with soft-biting females, convicts could get the impression that there's something very wrong with killing, beating and robbing people.